A Week in Links – 1/21-1/26

It is a matter of common knowledge that our internal clocks dictate our patterns of eating and sleeping. But how did this internal clock -or, more specifically, clocks- evolve in our ancestors? This article explores the sources for our internal rhythms and how these are related to the evolution of the Earth, as well as what happens when they malfunctions. “Written inside of us is the birth of the solar system and workings of the planet itself.”

Almost as important as who are the men behind mass shootings in recent history in the United States is the question of their media portrayal and the way their stories as individuals that have committed heinous crimes are narrated. “Because these are told as stories of individuals with specific reasons for killing others, there is no reason to talk about race, class, or gender; there is no reason to talk about society, nor is there any reason to think that Aurora, Newtown, or Columbine are becoming Chicago or Detroit.”

The American television drama reached its high point in the 2000s, with the HBO classics The Sopranos and Oz, which would signal the beginning of an era of dark social dramas that told convincing stories of complex characters haunted by questions of morality and the eternal return. It is now Walter White’s turn to haunt our television sets. This article explores the deeper social themes and commentary of American society in Breaking Bad.

It seems this year’s Nobel prizes have spurred more controversy than excitement. With Chinese author Mo Yan’s Nobel Prize in literature have come several debates about the Academy’s motivations for showering this greatest of honors on a writer endorsed by the Chinese communist party and active in its politics. But should the artist be judged on the basis of his political motivations or on the basis of his craft? This is a debate that will surely continue as long as the prize exists.

Reinventing the curriculum vitae is not something that happens every day. Even with new technologies, the vast majority of us think that there is really nowhere else to go because, how creative can you get when it comes to listing your experience plus your education on a sheet of paper or its equivalent? Philippe Dubost, however, had a different idea. He made his CV into an Amazon product page. Creative? Definitely. I only wonder what Amazon will have to say if people start copying Philippe’s idea en masse. Will they be happy about this unintended and bold new use of its website, or will they frown upon it? Only time will tell.

What is Pinitos?

Pinitos is a bilingual blog exploring translation-related topics: from business and language tips for freelancers to reviews of translated works and insight on a translator and interpreter's journey towards unachievable perfection.